Automatic vending-machine.



Patented July 9, ISUI, E. A. REEVES. AUTDMATIG VENDING MACHINE.

(Amumion med Feb. 12, 1901.;

' 4 Sheeta-Sheet l.

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Attorney.

Witnesses Nn. 678,033. Patented my 9, |901. Y E. A. REEVES.

i AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINE.

(Appcation filed Feb. 12, 1901.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Witnesses. lxfiverl'xtor. 63M@ @W Attorney.

Patented luly 9, |901.

. E. A. REEVES.

AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINE.

(Applimton filed Feb. 12, 1901.)

' (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Witnesses. inventor.

A torney.

No. 678,033. Patented 'luly 9, |90I. E. AJREEVES.

AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINE. (Application mea Feb. 12, 1901.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-,Sheet 4.

Witnesses. j. W.

Attorney.

ma Norms PETERS co.. PHOYQLITNO.. wAstugcTun. D. c.

UNjIfIEjD STATES' PATENT FFICE. l

EDWIN A. REEVES, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMATIC VENDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 678,033, dated July 9, 1901. Application filed February 12, 1901.A Serial No. 471064:- (NO modem To LZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, EDWIN A. REEVES, a citizen of the United States, residing at New; Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Automatic Vend ing-Machines, of which the following is a" specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic vending-machines in which a predetermined quantityof merchandise is automatically delivered by a coin-actuated mechf anism.

It is the object of my invention, among other things, to construct amachine of this character which will vend crushable merchandise without damage or breakage, to provide a positively-actuated machine which will successively deliver equal quantities of merchandise, to so design the operative mechanism that it will be impossible for the merchandise to clog or impair its operation, and, further, to perform these several functions with mechanism that can be economically constructed and readily assembled.

To these and other ends my invention consists in the automatic vending-machinehaving certain details of construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts in the several views,F-igure 1 is a front elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof with the ease, hopper, and coin-chute partly in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the drum and its adjacent parts, and Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation thereof upon line A B offFig. 3.

The automatic vending-machines now made for vending crushable merchandise are defective in that the parts crush and bruise the merchandise, so that when delivered the goods are damaged. The several parts also are so `constructed and operate in relation to each .other that the merchandise is frequently jammed in between them, which either stops i the machine or a smaller quantity of lmerchandise is delivered than is designed. In my inventionthese and many other disadvantages in the present machines are overcome by having an intermittently-rotary drum provided with a plurality of paddlearms, forming compartments therebetween. of uniform size, rotatable in a trough filled with merchandise, and mechanism actuated by a coin to revolve this drum a predetermined portionA of Vits revolution and bring successively one ofthe said compartments Aand paddle-arms in line with a trough or deliverychute upon which the merchandise is delivered.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates the case, which can be of any preferred form or material, and 2 the cover, which is hinged thereto and provided with any suitable locking device (not shown) for securing the same. Tothe interior of the case is attached a semicircular trough having side plates 1l and 12 and a bottom plate 3, and connected with and leading from said trough is a delivery-chute 4, which terminates at the bottom of the case opposite the lreceiver 5. {Revoluble within this trough is a drum 6, whichis constructed with a side plate '7, having a hub l0 thereon, which is rotatable within the trough-plate ll and secured to the arbor 22 of the operating mechanism, a

3 side plate 8 having an opening l5 therethrough, and a plurality of paddles 9, fixed to and connecting said side plates and forming a plurality of vcompartments therebe.

tween, with the outer ends thereof flush with the periphery ofy said plates. The paddles 9 are arranged at a sufficient angle to the diameter of the drum to form an inclined plane for the merchandise to rolldown onto the delivery-chute when the paddles are brought into register therewith. See Fig. 3.) lWithin the upper portion of the Ycase is secured a hopper 13, having a tapering bottom, which is connected with a feed-chute 14, fastened to the trough-plate l2, with the opening in the bottom thereof opposite the opening l5 in the drum-plate 8.

ythe hopper and feed-chute is immaterial to The detailed construction of.

my invention, as any form of mechanism for a merchandise-supply to the trough will operate equally as well as the one herein shown.

Anypreferred style of mechanism-such as clock mechanism, electrical devices, or numerous other mechanical means-can be used to intermittently rotate the drum 6, and I do not desire, therefore, to be limited to any special form thereof; but the mechanism herein shown (not in detail) is clock mechanism actuated by springs, which are wound in the usual manner by keys which engage the spindles 16, projecting through the front of the case. This mechanism is provided with the usual gears and pinions, which actuate the arbor 22, to which the drum is connected. Intermittent rotary clock mechanism is old and is invariably actuated by a trip-lever, which in the drawings is designated 17 By depressing the trip-lever 17, Fig. 1, the mechanism is actuated and the spindle 12 is revolved a portion of a revolution corresponding to the number of paddles in the drum. I have not shown the details of this clock mechanism, as its construction is old in the art, and the particular mechanism for actuating the drum I do not claim as being a part of my invention.

The trip-lever 17 is bent so as to be directly under the coin-chute 18', which opens through the slot 19 in the front of the case, and beneath said chute and lever is a coinreceiver formed by the walls 19 and into which the coins drop.

The operation of my device is as follows: The cover 2 is raised, exposing the hopper, which is filled with merchandise that falls by gravity through the bottom thereof into the feed-chute 14 and thence through the opening 15 in the side plate 8 and is deposited in the trough 3, filling the trough and all the compartments between the several paddles which are beneath the feed-chute. A coin now placed in the coin-chute 18 through the slot 19 drops upon the end of the trip-lever 17, depressing the same a sufficient distance to actuate the clock. mechanism and impart a partial rotation to the spindle 12 and through it to the drum 6. The coins after tripping the lever 17 drop into the coin-receiver and are removed therefrom through the door 20 inthe front of the case. The rotation of the drum 6 within the trough 3 moves the paddles in a rotary path and the merchandise in front thereof is elevated'thereon and falls upon the delivery-chute t during its rotation until the paddle is in a direct line with the bottom of said chute, as shown in Fig. 3, when the mechanism automatically stops itself and the merchandise remaining upon the paddle rolls onto said chute and is delivered into the receiver where it can be removed by the operator.

From this description it is apparent that my machine is operated by simply inserting a coin in the coin-chute, and the mechanism and the drum are automatically actuated thereby, and the partial rotation of the drum scoops out a predetermined quantity of merchandise from the trough, which is delivered to .the operator.

This machine is especially adapted for merchandise such as nuts, candies, duc., as no merchandise can work into the moving parts and be crushed or damaged, the paddles simply pushing the merchandise along the bottom of the trough 3, and if its contour is round it will roll readily in front of the paddles and be delivered without damage. The .arrangement of the hopper and feed-trough is such that the trough is always filled with merchandise and the paddles will each time deliver the same quantity.

There are minor changes and alterations that can be made within my invention, and I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction herein shown and described, but claim all that falls fairly Within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is;-

1. In a merchandise-vending machine, the combination with a vertical receiving-trough; of a drum having pockets open at their inner and outer ends, operative within said trough; a feed-chute terminating opposite an opening in said drum between the inner ends of said pockets; a delivery-chute leading from said trough to the exterior of the case and means for intermittently rotating said drum so as to bring the said pockets successivelyin line with the said delivery-chute.

2. In a merchandise-vending machine, the combination with a vertical receiving-'trough of a drum having pockets open at their inner and outer ends, operative Within said trough; a hopper adapted to receive a supply of merchandise; a feedchute leading from said hopper and terminating opposite an opening in the side of said drum between the inner ends of said pockets; a delivery-chute lead-V ing from the said trough to the exterior of the case; and means for intermittently'rotating said drum so as to bring the'said pockets successively in line with the said delivery-chute.

3. In a merchandise-vending machine, the combination with a vertical receiving-trough; of a drum operative therein and having a plurality of paddles between the sides thereof forming compartments therebetween, which compartments are open at both ends, one of the sides of said drum having an opening therethrough between the inner ends of said paddles; a feed-chute terminating opposite the said opening, whereby merchandise is conveyed into said trough and fills the lower compartments of said drum; a delivery-chute leading from said trough; and means for incombination with the case 1; of a receivingtrough; a drum 6 operative therein; mechanism for intermittently rotating said drum; a hopper 13 within said case; a feed=chute 1o 14 leading from said hopper to said trough and a delivery-chute 4 leading from the said trough tothe said case; all constructedand operating substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN A. REEVES.

Witnesses:

GEORGE E. HALL,` v'WALLACE S. MoYLE. 

